Filing-case.



No. 784,183. PATENTED JULY 21, 1903.

(v W. 1). & J. D. KELLY.

FILING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1901.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented July 21, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. KELLY AND JOHN D. KELLY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS..

FILING-OAS E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,183, dated July 21, 1903. Application filed May 2,1901. Sam. 58,458. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM D. KELLY and JOHN D. KELLY, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filing-- Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in filing-cases of that class in which an adj ustable follower is located in the holder and is adapted to be automatically locked in any given position.

Our present invention is especially adapted for use as an improvement upon the devices shown in our pending application, Serial No. 18,228, card-index file, filed May 28,1900.

The object of our invention is to provide a self-locking follower in devices of the class above referred toin which the follower will be automatically locked in position without reference to the compression of the papers or other articles filed in the case. Such a device is especially useful in small cases, in which the bulk of papers filed is not great and in which the compression exerted by such papers,either because of the material of which they are composed or because of the small number thereof, will not be sufficient to efficiently lock the follower. These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a central longitudinal section of a filing-case embodying our invention. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 show modifications of our invention. Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views of different forms of our improved locking-plate.

Like letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring now by letter to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the drawer or casing, having a central longitudinal slot B in the bottom thereof, and 0 represents afollower fitting transversely within the drawer, but so as to move freely therein, said follower being secured at the lower edge thereof to a friction-plate D, which is preferably composed of metal. This plate may be of the form shown in Fig. 6, in which the body of the plate fits within the slot B and the flanges of the plate engage the bottom of the casing at the sides thereof, or it may be of the simpler form shown at D in Figs. 2 and 4 or of any other suitable form which shall provide a frictional surface for engaging the under side of the casing at the sides of the slot B.

The under surface of the follower C is preferably curved or angular in cross-section, so as to permit the follower to rock or be defiected to and from a locked position.

E is a spring, which in case the frictionplate D is made of metal may be struck up from the metal of the friction-plate, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, or which may be riveted upon the friction-plate at a point either behind or in front of the point of attachment or engagement between the friction-plate and the means used for connecting the frictionplate to the follower. The follower being loosely connected with thefriction-plate, it is obvious that when the follower is deflected from an unlocked position the friction-plate will be brought into frictional or locking contact with the underside of the casing.

In order to insure an automatic locking of the follower, we provide the spring E between the follower and the friction-plate and preferably attached to the friction-plate, as previously described, one end of said spring engaging the friction-plate and the other end thereof engaging the under surface of the follower at one side of the center thereof, whereby said follower is normally held in a deflected position, in which position it draws or tips the friction-plate into locking contact with the bottom of the casing, as before described. o

In order to unlock the follower, it is only necessary for the user to deflect it against the action of said spring,whereupon the frictionplate unlocks from the casing and the follower may be readily moved to anydesired position. As soon as the follower is again released the action of the spring automatically defiects the follower and looks it in the new position.

While in the foregoing description we have referred to the follower as being automatically locked by the spring E, it will often be desirable to use our invention as merely supplementing the expansion of the files in deflecting the follower, so as to lock the same.

When so used, the stress of the spring will produce a frictional engagement between the locking-plate and the casing, which will not necessarily positively lock the follower until the follower is further deflected by the expansion of the files confined between the follower and an end of the casing.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2 the construction differs from that shown in Fig. 1 only in that the locking-plate is connected with the follower by means of a pair of staples, forming a link connection.

In Fig. 3 in place of the leaf-spring E we show a coil-spring E interposed between the follower and the locking-plate and at one side of the connection between the follower and the locking-plate.

In Fig. 4 the leaf-spring E abuts loosely against the under side of the follower at one side of the point of connection between the follower and the locking-plate, while the opposite end of the spring is attached to the locking-plate at substantially the same point that the means connecting the locking-plate and follower is attached to the locking-plate.

In Fig. 5 the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is reversed, and the leaf-spring E is attached to the under side of the follower and loosely abuts against the face of the lockingplate.

In Fig. 6 in place of a separate spring attached to the locking-plate we have shown the spring E as being struck up from the upper surface of the plate, one end thereof remaining integral with the locking-plate.

In Fig. 7 the spring E is struck up from one of the flanges of the locking-plate D.

Obviously our invention is adapted for use with any form of locking device in which the deflection of the follower sets a lock in locked position against the under side of the casing, and obviously the form and location of the spring may be changed and modified without departing from the spirit of our invention so long as the spring is interposed between the follower and locking member in such a manner that the stress of the spring deflects the follower to a position which shall cause the locking member to lock against the under side of the casing.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a filing-case, the combination with a casing, of an adjustable rocking follower working therein, a longitudinalslot in the bottom of said casing, a locking member disposed along the under side of said casing and loosely connected with said follower through said slot, and a spring interposed between said follower and said locking member, whereby said follower is automatically deflected to hold said locking member in frictional contact with the under side of said casing, substantially as described.

2. In a filing-case, the combination with a casing, of an adjustable follower working therein, a longitudinal slot in the bottom of said casing, a locking member connected with said follower through said slot, and means for yieldingly and normally holding said follower in a position whereby said locking memher is held in frictional contact with the bottom of said casing, substantially as described.

3. In a filing-case, the combination with a casing, of an adjustable rocking follower working therein, a locking member loosely connected with said follower, and means for normally and yieldingly causing said locking member to be held in frictional contact with the under side of said casing, substantially as described.

4. In a filing-case, the combination with a casing provided with a longitudinal slot in the bottom thereof, of an adjustable follower working therein, a locking member jointed to said follower through said slot, and a spring extending through said slot and engagingsaid locking member and said follower, and arranged to deflect said follower so as to bring said locking member into frictional engagement with the under side of said casing, substantially as described.

5. In a filing-case, the combination with a casing, of an adjustable follower working therein, a locking member loosely connected with said follower through a slot in the bottom of said casing, and means for yieldingly holding said follower in a position to bring said locking member into frictional contact with said casing, substantially as described.

6. In a filing-case, the combination with a casing, of an adjustable follower working therein, a locking member loosely connected with said follower through a slot in said casing, and means for normally and yieldingly causing said locking member to be held in frictional contact with the under side of said casing, substantially as described.

' WILLIAM D. KELLY.

JOHN D. KELLY. Witnesses F. H. DRURY, M. E. SHIELDS. 

